This study guide explores the opening of the Book of Ruth, focusing on God's unfailing faithfulness during times of spiritual and physical famine. The message highlights how Elimelech and his family chose to leave Bethlehem for the pagan land of Moab, prioritizing personal comfort over their covenant with God. This relocation led to a decade of tragedy and loss, illustrating that human attempts to escape divine judgment apart from repentance only result in deeper despair. Ultimately, the text emphasizes that God uses seasons of suffering and emptiness to pursue His people and prepare them for redemption. By bringing characters like Naomi and Ruth to the end of themselves, God set ...